Tribute to Newt
by Louvina
Summary: What if Newt held a journal before Ripley and Cie rescuded her? Would you like to know what happened to her? The story is based on the Wikia page of "Aliens: Newt's Tale" that I never had the chance to read.
1. Part 1 - Day 1

_Lost in a fragment of the universe, somewhere on the Hadley's Hope human colony on Acheron, this journal was never found..._

 **Day One,**

Today is my birthday! My parents gave me this diary as a special present. It is very special because, sometimes late at night, I see my parents writing something in a book when they come home after work. So with this diary, I feel like a grown-up. My parents told me I should practice my handwriting instead of using computers all the time. I'm sure this is because my teacher told my parents last week that I have imagination and should practice it. I heard her.

So, I'll start by introducing myself: my name is Rebecca Jorden but everyone calls me "Newt." My older brother Timmy is the only person who calls me by my first name. There aren't many kids here on the colony, and I don't have many friends because I'm very shy. My best friend is my doll Casey. She is very pretty.

I love playing hide and seek with Timmy and his friends. They usually can't find or catch me as soon as I get in a ventilation shaft because I'm smaller and faster. They say I'm cheating, but that's not true. I know they are scared to go in there because it's too dark.. I just love being in the air ducts; it's warm, quiet and lonely.

I don't really know what I should be writing in this diary, but I guess I'll just describe what happens to me every day, if I don't forget to write.


	2. Part 1 - Day 4

**Day four,**

I decided to open my diary today, I was a bit lazy for the past few days because I just wanted to play with Casey. But just reading my last entry makes me want to really use it. Because that is not fair for whoever reads it, whether it's me, someone close to me, or someone that I do not know, if I actually lose it one day. Mom always says that I'm very messy.

I'm not really sure about what I should write in there. I guess I'm doing great, my brother Timmy is really nice to me, and my parents seem to love their job.

When other kids ask me what my parents do, I usually tell them all our parents have the same boss: Mr. Weyland. I don't know him. I think they are explorers, because they leave the colony sometimes for a long time. My dad is a good mechanic too. I'm not sure what my mom does, but she always reads maps and circle zones on it.

Tomorrow I'll try to explain where I live and how it is here on LV-426. LV-426 is also called Acheron, but we never use this word.


	3. Part 1 - Day 5

**Day Five,**

I think my mom is watching me right now. She seems happy to see me put some words together. She said she can help me if I can't spell some words.

Today is about LV-426. At first I had to wear a mask if I wanted to go outside, but we don't do that anymore. I didn't even know then if the temperature was cold or warm, if the wind was stingy, or even what the air smelled like! Now when I go outside, I don't need a mask anymore, the air smells very bad, and there's always wind. But I still can never go outside without an adult authorization. So not much fun.

I also had to wear a suit that was too big for me whenever I went outside. It was both fun and difficult, because I could not walk properly so I was walking between both Mom and Dad holding my hands. They would make me swing, that was very funny.

There are not many kids here in the colony, and the parents work a lot on different shifts most of the time. My parents have some friends, but I don't think they are that close.

As for the other adults of the colony, there is one old lady who scares me every time I see her because she looks like the evil witch of Timmy's book. Kids on the colony say she's crazy because she's always talking to herself. My parents told me once that I should not talk to her because she would not be able to hear me. They also told me to respect her; not to make fun of her like the other kids do, and to help her if I can. One day, I was in the canteen, and her tissue fell on the floor; she is so old that she can't pick it up, so a woman helped her and she gave her a smile. Then she continued to talk to herself again. What I am definitely sure about is that I do not want to become old and strange like her.

The apartments all look the same. The walls, the doors and the furniture are made of a white plastic. There is not much space in the apartment, so my family cannot move the furniture around. The apartment has one kitchen, one bathroom and two bedrooms. The kitchen has a table so that we can eat together, the big bedroom is for my parents and the other one is for Timmy and me.

At school I learned that, on Earth, there is the sun. I have only seen pictures in the break room area of the facility, or in the books that I have under my bed. It looks like something amazing, it can change the color of your skin, make you feel warm and relaxed.

Dad told me once that the most beautiful thing he saw on Earth is called "sunset". He told me many stories about this; "the color of the sun being different from time to time or a warm feeling when the light of the sun caresses his skin."

I wish I could see a sunset. Here on LV-426, there is no sun, it's mostly dark outside, even pitch-black at night. One day I went on a exploration with my parents and we came back so late in the evening that I felt asleep in my daddy's arms in the corridor on the way home, I remember that it was so dark that I could not separate the sky from the mountains on the horizon.


	4. Part 1 - Day 8

**Day Eight**

Tomorrow, my parents have to leave the colony for an exploration mission. Timmy and I are joining them because there is no school on this day and no one can take care of us. This happens a lot, Timmy and I are used to waiting for them while they work.

I am really excited because every time my parents go for an expedition, Timmy and I play games together. We have fun pretending to drive tractors or racing against each other. We would prefer to play hide-and-seek outside of the tractor, but dad says that it is "STRICTLY FORBIDDEN."

Some zones are still "unexplored," so we do not know if they are safe. Dad says the tractor is safe, so Timmy and I have to stay in it.

I'll bring this diary and Casey in case Timmy does not want to play with me. He has his own video game console and could play hours with it without realizing that a few hours have passed. My dad always brings a case where I have little clothes for Casey to wear, books, tea sets to have a tea party with Casey. In the case, Mom always puts snacks, warm clothes and blankets in case we're cold.


	5. Part 1 - Day 9

**Day Nine**

I have my journal! I really like writing. Even though I do not use it a lot, I am getting used to save these moments and re-read my entries.

Daddy drove the tractor for a bit of time. We all sang songs. Then he stopped when he found something.

Dad was SO happy to find this big building, it didn't look anything like on the colony. Dad even used the word "massive" to describe it. When I asked Mom what it meant, she said that they should contact the colony to let them know where they are. But Dad wanted to go look first. It's so big I think it is scary! My parents are really brave to go in there alone.

Mom and Dad went out a few hours ago. Timmy is bored of playing with me. He is taking a nap.

I played with Casey. Now I am writing in my diary. I will try to sleep, but I am getting worried about Mom and Dad. They do leave for a long time when they explore, but they always come back for a snack, or to go with us to the bathroom because we can't go outside on our own. It's been too long. What if something happened to them?


	6. Part 1 - Day 10

**Day 10**

I am so scared.

So much happened since yesterday, I don't even know where to start.

After Timmy and I took a nap in the tractor, we waited for them on the front sits. Then, my mom opened the door really fast and hard to call the colony for help.

I was very frightened. Mom's voice was shaking, and she was screaming for help. I didn't understand why, so I looked for Dad.

Then, I was horrified. My dad had a disgusting thing that looked like a giant hand stuck on his entire face. I couldn't see his face. The thing was moving. Its tail was wrapped-around Dad's throat. I screamed until I could not breathe. My heart was beating so loud I thought it was going to jump out of my chest. I was SO scared for Dad.

Thinking about it right now makes me want to puke. I can't close my eyes or stay alone.

When we came back to the colony, I was sweating so much because of the thing that got Dad. Mom told Timmy and me to go to our rooms until Daddy felt better. But I could see her eyes, and she was scared, too. We had to go through this decontamination shower before going home.

We didn't want to leave Daddy. But we couldn't get through the door; it had a sign on it that said"Quarantine," and men were guarding the entrance.

I want to cry so much, but I am holding back my tears because I want Dad to know that I am strong.

Timmy's friend, Aaron, wants to help us. He says he knows a way through a shaft that can lead us to the Quarantine area. I didn't believe him at first because I never found a way to go there. But Timmy trusts him, and maybe I will be able to see how Dad is doing.

So we have decided to go with him when most of the adults are sleeping.

Right now, I can't sleep anyway.


	7. Part 1 - Day 12

**Day 12**

Dad's dead. I saw it.

Mom always told me to exteriorize my nightmares in the way I would find most efficient for me. Since I won't talk to anyone, I think I am only going to write everything that scares me in this journal.

That night when we met Aaron to see my Dad, he did find a way in a vent where we could see Daddy in the Quarantine zone. But, if I knew what was going to happen, I would have stayed at home.

The vent was hard to get to. We had to go away from the Quarantine zone to get in a secret tunnel. We spent about an hour in the dark. We had to crawl. Some things smelled horrible. We finally got to the quarantine zone. Aaron told us to completely lie down and slide flat on our stomachs and make absolutely NO noise.

I'm the smallest, so I went first. I was feeling the pipe becoming tight. I imagined Aaron and Timmy would have difficulties on the way too. As I advanced farther I realized I could not progress anymore, so I looked around me and saw I could make my way up. That's always how to get through the ventilation shafts. You have to look around for where it goes.

We came to a room where we could all sit and breathe better. There was a big window where we could see inside the Quarantine room. Aaron told us they couldn't see us because we were behind a mirror but we should still be quiet because he didn't know if they could hear us. Timmy asked him how he found this path. He said he had to get away from his dad sometimes because he hits him, and one day he went so far, he found this room and came lots of time to learn about medicine. Timmy said Aaron always liked medical stuff, but his dad wanted him to become a mechanic like him.

We sat in front of the pane and looked around. Dad was the only patient there. Mom was sitting next to him too. She was wearing gloves, white clothes, and a mask. The doctor was checking on his "vitals", Aaron told me that the machines helped the doctor understanding how sick Dad could be. He didn't have the thing on his face anymore, he seemed to be okay. He touched mom's face with his fingers. She was smiling.

We sat for a long time, I even slept a little bit. I was actually feeling good seeing my family even though I couldn't lie next to my dad, but then I woke up suddenly when the door of the quarantine zone banged open.

Other men with things on their faces were brought into the room. The doctor focused all her attention on them as they were shaking with those same disgusting things on their faces. Everyone was scared, Mom tried to help the doctor. When my dad stood up to give his bed to someone else, he started to scream and hold his chest. Mom ran to him and held him. He tried to sit or lie down, but nothing helped.

Mom sat behind him and caught him between her arms. He was sitting between her legs, his back against her chest. She couldn't hold him down. His body was shaking so hard. The doctor tried to give him something, but it didn't help.

Timmy and I were so scared. We didn't know what was happening. And then, Dad took one last breath, he looked at the mirrors on the wall. I know he was looking at me.

He grabbed my mom's hand. I could see he felt so much pain. I heard a loud "CRACK" in the room. I looked everywhere but nothing broke. Another "CRACK."

Dad's chest broke open. Mom was still holding him really tight, she was screaming so loud I still hear her right now.

Dad was not moving anymore, I didn't know if he passed out or if he was dead. Mom stayed there with him in her arms. She was crying and screaming. That's how I knew I would never hear my dad's voice ever again.

But then something came out of his chest. It was small, white and so scary. Everybody in the room was staring at it. I was so frightened, I couldn't move.

IT ESCAPED!

It was too fast for anybody to catch it or kill it. I was frightened when I saw the thing disappearing in a pipe. We had to get out of where we were.

Tears came up to my eyes. I felt them dropping on my cheeks, but I was not crying. Timmy couldn't breathe anymore. Aaron and I had to get him out. We got him all the way back. It took us even longer than I thought.

We came back to our bedroom and sat on Timmy's bed. He cried. I didn't know what to do. I just stayed there and looked at him.

Mom came back from the infirmary long time later. She was not the same person. She came in front of us and got down on her knees and took our hands. She kissed our hands. The kiss was wet because she was crying. She said that Dad was asleep and that it was impossible to wake him up.

Timmy pushed her and told her he knew she was lying. He told her that we knew that Dad died in the quarantine zone. Mom understood that we were not kids anymore and that we needed to hear the truth. But none of us said anything else.

We didn't leave home for two days. I don't know how Mom was doing but every time I went next to her she was not talking. I guess she was really sad. I went to bed again and took Casey with me for a nap.

Later, we heard loud screams coming from the hall outside. I was not asleep, but it made the fear in me wake up. Then, an alarm started sounding in the whole colony.

Mom switched on the bedroom light and opened the closets to grab some clothes for all of us. She told us to get dressed and come with her AS FAST AS WE COULD. I made sure to take Casey and my journal.

Then we ran fast, faster. I don't know if something was after us, but I did not feel safe.

We went to a room that looked like the Maintenance level. Timmy and I went in a dark corner of the place and waited. Adults were talking really loud, kids were crying and there were gun noises all around outside. The adults put up tables and chairs to block the doors.

Mom came back to us. She had a gun in her hands and told us NEVER to leave each other and to stay hidden. She said that help was coming, that we have to keep it together until then. I don't know who could help against something that is causing so much chaos, but I hoped they would come fast.

Aaron is not here, I do not see him. I hope he's okay.

There is barely food for everyone of us. And we smell very bad.

I am sitting at a big table with other kids, I am writing right now, and I don't know what is going to happen to me and my family.

I am scared.


	8. Part 2 - Entry 1

**Entry 1**

Almost everyone's dead. I am alone.

I re-read this diary. I don't know why I should write any more in it. Nobody will ever read it, and I'll most likely die soon too.

I'm sorry I didn't write more about how happy I was before all of this happened. I should have. I only have horrible things in my head right now. I should have described how I liked when Mommy caressed my face before I went to sleep. I don't remember the feeling of warm and safe.

I don't even remember the sound Dad's voice or Timmy's lof laugh. I only remember his screams.

I am all alone. I hear screaming everywhere, all the time. The sounds are coming from everywhere, whether I close my eyes or not.

I'm sure these things are hunting me.

I can't sleep. I have nightmares all the time. I need to scream and cry, but I am too scared that they will hear me and come to get me. I don't even talk to Casey any more. I only have her head left. I lost the body somewhere in a vent when I saw Mom and Timmy DIE in front of me.

It happened so fast. A few hours after the last time I wrote in this diary, all the adults panicked, and moved all our families into a supply room deeper down. Something came closer apparently. I heard a man whispering to Mom. I heard him saying that some armed colonists found a nest of monsters. All the missing colonists were there They harvest them with the things that look like hands. The monsters grow inside of the humans, and then they come out.

Exactly what happened to Dad.

But then the man told Mom that they had lost contact with those colonists. Most likely they were all dead.

I could see in Mom's eyes that she was scared.

I knew we were not safe in that storage room, so I stayed close to Timmy. Suddenly, all the adults rushed at the entrance of the room to open the door. I still don't understand why they did it. It had to be a trap.

When they broke the barricade and opened the door, a big number of monsters rushed into our room and started to kill everyone. They were fast. They were smart and all worked together. We couldn't beat them.

Mom carried her gun and came closer to us. She was crying. At first I thought she was scared, but then she aimed at Timmy. I understood she was ready to kill us so the monsters would not take us first. I was frozen. I could not move. I didn't want to die, but I didn't want to be taken by a monster either.

I still don't know how Timmy could think about hope. He told Mom that we could escape through an air duct. Timmy said I could lead them because I was the best. We found an air duct and took off the small gate. I began to crawl in there. When I turned my head to see if they were following me, I heard Mom's gun falling on the floor. I could see her feet floating in the air and shaking. She was dead. I looked up and saw that the tale tail of a monster had passed through her chest.

I was so shocked I could not scream or cry. I stayed in the shaft and waited for my brother to follow me. Timmy took Mom's gun and started to fire at the monster.

But the monster's blood seems to be poisoned. It's green and smoky as soon as it touches something. Timmy screamed so loud and fell on the floor. He was shaking really hard. I saw his body smoking and melting.

That's when I think my mind turned off. I don't really remember where I turned, how far I went and for how long, but I escaped. I never stopped because I thought the monsters were after me.

I got stuck in some shafts. I think it was for a long time, but I couldn't tell. This is when I lost Casey's body while I was escaping.

I am in a tube somewhere in the facility. I am not really sure about where I am. I couldn't sleep so I figured I would write. Handwriting is hard and slow so maybe that will help me sleep, even for a little while.

Then I will move forward and try to find a place to hide.


	9. Part 2 - Entry 2

**Entry 2**

I found a place to stay but not for long. It's not safe enough, I think. I'm at the maintenance level. There is a safe room for the power and the servers. At least I think that's it. There are dozens of shelves with a lot of cables everywhere. Nobody was killed here. There are no bad smells floating in the air. Thanks to the machines, the place is warm and the humming sound makes me rest. It's not too noisy and not too quiet. I like it a lot.

But if the monsters find me here, I only have one way to escape. It's a duct behind me.

I don't know for how long, but I slept. I must have been exhausted. This is not good. If something happened – anything – I could have been dead. Plus, I hate waking up from a deep sleep because I panic and head straight for a corner to hide.

Surviving is going to be difficult. I have to be strong in my head and try to not be afraid. That's impossible.

I don't really know how I survived two days by myself. I saw no adults or kids anywhere. But I hear screaming sometimes, I still hear gunshots.

I am going to write something really sad, but this is how it is:

If I hear gunshots, it means there are men and monsters.

If there are monsters, monsters will win.

No matter what.

So I can't stay with humans.

A gun cannot stop the monsters. They are very dangerous. They can hunt. And I could be just what they hunt here. Like food that they can harvest or kill if they want to, because they can.

I think I have better chances of surviving on my own than by staying with an adult or another kid, which would be even worse. I am faster if I crawl through a ventilation shaft but too easy to catch in a big corridor.

I am alone from now on. I don't know if help will ever come to LV-426, but I'm going to stay alive as long as I can. I must not let fear eat myself. I must not lose myself in the pain. I must not panic. I must not become crazy. I also try my best to not start talking to myself like the old lady of the sub-level, I will talk to Casey and my journal. Maybe that will help.

I need to find a small place with at least two exits. It has to be hidden but not hard to get to and not too cold and big enough to store food and something to sleep in. It needs to be close to an exit to outside and a little bit dangerous so I could protect myself too. I think I have an idea about where I should go. After all, it's good that I played with Timmy and Aaron in the shafts so much.

I also need to find a watch to help me figure what time and day it is. I should try the apartments sector, so I'll try there tomorrow.


	10. Part 2 - Entry 3

**Entry 3**

I am in the new place. I knew I visited something like this before. I found this tunnel one day when I was following my parents to their tractor before they left for a mission.

It's not too small. It's big enough for me stay in there. I have been really careful getting here. Sometimes I throw things in the opposite direction of my way to see if something is moving, but nothing has happened. Now that I think about it, it was a very bad idea. I should just concentrate and make sure that I just make absolutely NO noise when I move. Anyway, maybe I got lucky, I'll never know, really.

My den is not cozy. There is nothing in there except my journal and a pen to write in it. There are two small opaque windows on the back wall. Underneath these windows, is the word "AIRWAY." And underneath this there is a big "E." I don't know if it is for "East" wing or for "Emergency." There is also a first-aid kit on one of the walls. There are lots of things in there, but I don't know what they can be used for. I tried to read through some labels. I recognized the bandages in case I get hurt. But that's all, really.

I hope I'll be able to find water, food, and covers to stay warm. I want to stay here until help comes. Mom said it's coming. I can wait.

So far, I know I have been doing good in hiding. I know they did not hear me or follow me because I can hear them. When I was running from them, I could hear them moving and breathing. Sometimes they screamed, too. Their scream is a piercing, scary noise.


	11. Part 2 - Entry 4

**Entry 4**

I almost died today.

I looked for water and food because I felt really weak. I travelled through the ducts that go to the canteen level. I figured this would be the best place to find what I need.

There was noise in the corridor that leads there. I listened carefully to see if it was someone or a monster. If it was a human, I would head to the opposite direction because a monster would be there soon. And if it was a monster, I would have stayed there until it went away.

Two men were there. I heard them talking. They said a lot of bad words. I'm sure Mom would have covered my ears if she had been there. I tried to look in their direction when I was leaving. They were building up the entrance to the canteen, blocking the way. I knew it would not help them for long.

I also knew they would not survive more than a few minutes by making so much noise. The good thing in seeing them both alive was that the monsters were not there yet, but not for long. So I went back and headed in direction of the dormitory level where all the apartments are. While I was crawling and making as little as noise as possible, I heard a single gunshot and screams behind me.

They were dead too.

I waited for a long time before moving again, just in case they would get closer to me, but nothing happened. I moved forward until I reached the dormitory section. There is more damage there than anywhere else on the colony. The walls used to be as white as the infirmary, but now it looks like corpses exploded next to them. Blood is everywhere.

I tried not to look, but I had to. I could follow someone's hand prints on the wall. He or she didn't get far because the prints stop at the ceiling. I think the person was dragged up there.

The smell made me want to puke my breakfast if only I had one. I went into some rooms and started by taking a backpack that was big enough to store some things but small enough for me to carry it. In this first room I found a blanket that I managed to put in my bag, but not much more could fit.

In this same apartment, I opened the fridge and the kitchen cupboards to see if I could find food and water. Luckily enough, I did. There wasn't much food in the kitchens since everyone was supposed to go to the canteen to eat most meals, but everybody had some cans and things to drink.

I stayed in a dark corner and ate slowly. I found enough water to drink and to store in the bag. I put some cans in the bag too, and I put the tool to open them in the front pocket of my overalls.

Then, I explored some rooms of other apartments and took some other things that could fit in my pockets. I got a new pen in case mine would not work anymore, some collars of pearls to play with Casey, and some socks. I put the pearls in the socks to make no noise on the way back.

It was very strange to be in those abandoned apartments, I felt happy to take whatever I needed, and I will most likely come back for more, but, it is also really sad that all these people died. I found another kid's unfinished snack and an adult's coffee cup that was only half empty. I didn't want to look at the pictures of happy families because that would remind me of mine.

When I was ready to head back to my place, I heard some noise close by in a hallway. To hide myself in the dark room, I sat facing a corner and put the bag on my back. I thought I would be small enough to hide behind it, but the noise got closer.

When it was in the room, I could tell it was human. I heard a woman breathing and crying. I was really hoping she would go away before the monsters came. Then she started to switch on ALL the lights in the apartment.

She was making way too much noise. She moved all the furniture of all the rooms to barricade the door. Then she grabbed my bag and screamed when she found me behind it. She pulled a knife out of her boot and waved it at me. I wanted to cry and run away but she was blocking the way. I got my arms out of the backpack. I almost yelled when I saw her face.

She was covered in blood. Her hair was almost gone, and her face was badly injured.

"Oh my baby!" she screamed and forced me into her arms. I was really scared because I had never seen this woman before.

"I'm going to protect you, Nothing will happen to you. I promise, Helen!" I wanted to tell her that my name was Rebecca and not Helen, but I was scared to talk. I don't think she would have understood me anyway.

But I started to panic because she was holding me way too tightly. I didn't want to, but I grabbed a small picture frame on the table next to me and hit her.

Then she looked at me and asked who I was and where was Helen. I didn't answer her, but she kept bothering me. She tried to force me into her arms again. That was terrible. She was definitely crazy, I am sure of it. She grabbed me and started to hit me on the back and on my legs. I couldn't get out. I was ready to scream but I couldn't breathe.

Plus, I knew I had to leave this place and leave the bag and the woman behind me. She was screaming so loudly that I knew the monsters would be there at any minute.

I bit her arm to make her let go and pushed her as hard as I could. It was going to be me or her or both of us in a few minutes.

What I am about to write is horrible, I know it, but this is EXACTLY what I felt and thought about in that room: I had to escape and leave her there as bait.

I grabbed the bag and opened an air shaft located behind the "bar" of the kitchen. Every apartment has one, I'm sure of it. I took a knife from the counter and put it in the front pocket of my overalls and pushed the bag in the duct first. As I got in, the woman grabbed my ankle and dragged me out. I still had the knife in my pocket. I thought she was going to notice it because my pocket was quite full already, but she was in her own world instead. She carried me to the bed and forced me to lie down for a "goodnight" kiss, as she said.

Something banged on the door of the apartment suddenly. It was here. I heard a monster screaming and pushing faster and faster through the door and the furniture to get in. I only had a few seconds left, I had to act fast.

The woman turned her back on me, so I grabbed the knife and tried to stab her in the back. But I didn't know it would be that hard to plant a knife into someone. So she hit me in the face, and I fell on the floor. I crawled under the bed.

I saw her feet walking around the bed, and she was screaming at me. I saw the light of the corridor coming in the room as the monster rushed on her. Her feet were not touching the floor anymore, but they were shaking in the air.

I knew the monster would find me under the bed, so I ran to the kitchen and crouched in the duct. I managed to close the shaft mostly, at least to hide myself in there. I pushed the bag farther and slowly in front of me and realized that it was a very bad idea because it was blocking the way.

I stopped moving when I heard the monster coming in the kitchen. I buried my mouth in my arm to avoid making any noise. I could see the monster's face through the shaft.

It knew I was here.

It opened his mouth and a fast and strong other mouth came out like a tongue. The new little mouth opened the small shaft that I hadn't close properly.

When I saw that, I pushed the bag farther and crawled over it to escape. My left foot got stuck in the straps so I dragged it with me. The monster couldn't get in the vent, so it didn't get me. It must have been pretty mad about not catching me. The escape felt like it took hours. At some point I stopped just to take a minute to think. I removed the bag I was dragging with my foot, put it on my back and took a minute to rest. Then I headed in the direction of the den.

And here I am writing again. I managed to get back here. I was very careful and took my time.

I am still scared because I hear screams every now and then. Some adults are still trying to survive, but unless they stay quiet and hide, I don't think they will be abble able to make it.

I am really tired. I am going to try to sleep a little bit. Tomorrow, I do not know what I will do.

It's really scary to go out, and I don't think I will trust a human ever again.


	12. Part 2 - Entry 5

**Entry 5**

I didn't get much sleep because I had a lot of nightmares. Writing down what is happening to me does not help me to feel safer or better. It's actually useless too, but it keeps me busy for a certain part of my day.

I ate a little bit and had a little bit of water too. I don't want to run out of food or water because I am scared of going back out there. I will not go until I hear humans screaming.

I tried to play a bit with Casey today, making her a princess with pearls in her hair. Even though her body is missing, I still think she's pretty. Not like me. My hair is messy, my clothes are very dirty, and I smell bad.

I tried to get up and walk a little bit, but my ankle hurts a lot and I am limping. I think it happened when that crazy woman grabbed my foot.

I am going to keep hiding and wait for my ankle to get better.

I am trying to draw the monster that I saw yesterday through the shaft in the apartment.

There is basically another mouth with teeth in its mouth. The other mouth is like a tongue or something. I don't know if it had eyes or a nose. I haven't seen a whole monster, but I know it has feet, claws, and a tail.

It's black, all black. It drools. And the smell is disgusting. To me, they look strong. They can lift and kill a woman just with their tails, like Mom.

I miss her so much. No matter where she is, I hope she is not mad at me for not taking care of my hair. I hope she is proud of me for writing in my journal.

I hope Dad loves me and doesn't feel guilty because what happened isn't his fault. I don't know if the monsters can be hurt, but I hope they can die.

I imagine Timmy giving me his strength and courage every day. I guess that he is happy that I am surviving thanks to my "skills."

I'm tired of being sad today. I'm going to try to walk. With a bit of luck, it will crack and I will feel better like Dad was always doing with his back after a long day at work.


	13. Part 2 - Entry 6

**Entry 6**

I have no idea of what day or what time it is. I slept a lot, and I could get up without any difficulties.

I guess I was just tired.

I will stay here again today. I think my den is quite safe. I don't know what I am going to do, probably look at what food I have and see if I need more.

I'm not ready to leave yet. I might sleep more.


	14. Part 2 - Entry 7

**Entry 7**

I don't know how much time has passed. Maybe I have been here on my own for hours or days.

All I know is that I am running out of food and water. Everytime I wake up, I eat and drink a little bit. And I am going to have to go to the bathroom somewhere. My belly hurts and is starting to make a lot of noise.

It's been a long time since I heard anything outside these walls. I imagine that I am the only one alive now. If there are others somewhere, they must be well hidden and they should stay there. Most of the noise seems to come from outside the facility. The monsters seem to be trying to find a way in. I don't really understand where they are coming from. Can they breed fast without using human bodies? Why are they outside? I don't know how many they are, but they seem to come mostly when it gets colder, when the engines and the facility seem to slow down a little bit.


	15. Part 2 - Entry 8

**Entry 8**

I don't talk to Casey anymore. It's too hard to play or have fun or imagine things.

I do not feel good. I don't feel really bad either. I do not know how to describe this feeling. I am lonely. I am bored. I am hungry, thirsty. I feel angry, desperate. I am almost giving up.

I can't help thinking that I am going to fall on the floor and never wake up. I feel weak.

I can't see my life going for any longer than a few minutes, each moment could be the last.

* * *

I shouldn't write things like that, this is very sad. I don't want to die.

The more I think about it, the more I want to see my family. I don't want to see them dead. I am thinking about going back to where I used to live and see if I can find a picture of them. Just a picture where they are alive even if they're not smiling.

I want to be brave and go, but it's not that easy.

Last time, before falling asleep, I wanted to hum the song that we always sang in the tractor. When I tried to hum the song, no voice came out. I haven't talked in a long time, and I am scared I lost my voice.


	16. Part 2 - Entry 9

**Entry 9**

Today, I want that picture! The one I have been thinking about. I know where it is.

All I need to do is to take my time, crawl, breathe slowly, and stay calm.

Today, I am going.

If this is the last time I write in this journal, I know that I feel good. For the first time, in a very long time.


	17. Part 2 - Entry 10

**Entry 10**

I don't know where to start. With the good news, I guess. I managed to get the picture. But it was difficult.

My ankle was fine. I got to the apartments level without being noticed when I heard a heavy breathing in a room not so far from me. I was sure an adult was in a lot of pain. I knew it wasn't my dad, or my mom, or my brother because they are all dead. I was too scared to look at who it was and what was happening.

So I moved quietly in the corridor to leave. I hoped nobody and _nothing_ would hear me. I was so stupid.

The door to my family's apartment was open. I went inside and grabbed the picture quickly and put it in the bag. I went to the kitchen to try to get food, too, but no real luck there. I could take Timmy's snacks that he was hiding besides his bed and found some water. I stuffed the rest of the bag quickly with blankets and clothes. Once I closed my bag, I put it on my back, ready to leave.

But I heard something move behind me. I was scared. I stood there without moving, barely breathing. My heart was beating really fast.

Two strong hands grabbed me by the shoulders and threw me in the corridor. I don't remember if I screamed or not, but I looked at what was standing in front of me. He was a strong man. He could have beat my dad easily in a fight. He was hurt, too, I think because he looked very pale and was limping towards me.

I didn't know what he wanted from me. My food? My water? My bag?

He stopped me from moving by grabbing my legs very hard. He hit me, once, twice. I couldn't get out. He told me he was going to kill me if I moved, and then he suddenly let me go. He stopped moving and raised his head towards the ceiling.

I rushed a bit farther from him and stopped when I heard something cracking.

I turned my head in his direction and saw him tense, on his knees, his mouth was opened.

Another crack happened. His scream rightened me. He was in pain.

I stared at him and saw the same thing come out of his chest, like Dad. When the monster was out, the man was not moving anymore and his body fell on the floor.

The monster crawled in my direction. It passed next to me without looking at me or attacking me. I ran in the other direction and took hours to come back here in my den.

Now I have food, water, and enough things to keep me warm. Again, I could have died today, but I'm still breathing. Still living.

I'm tired. I'm going to bed.


	18. Part 2 - Entry 11

**Entry 11**

I have read through some of my journal to find if I described the baby monsters a little bit and haven't found much except that I described it as small, white, and scary. That's because I was far away from it, and it moved fast. I was so shocked at the time that I didn't even take a good look at what was happening.

But I saw one yesterday. Even though there was not much light in the corridor, I can describe it a bit more right now.

So yes, it's small and white. I could see that it was _their_ baby version because the same jaw came out of the main mouth too. It was walking on its belly and had two little front paws.

It's whole body was twisting, it was disgusting as soon as it fell on the floor, but then it was walking on its belly.


	19. Part 2 - Entry 12

**Entry 12**

I am pretty sure nobody will ever find me or Casey, and this journal will never be read by anyone. Never. This makes me a little sad.

I am here waiting for something to happen. Either death or a miracle. I guess the first one is most likely going to happen. I just don't know how to deal with it because I do not want to die.

* * *

I am scared to die. Because from what I have seen, it hurts. Whenever someone died before on the colony, it was usually because "there was an accident" or "the person died in her or his sleep." Seeing so many people die because of the monsters does not help me accept that this is what is going to happen to me.

* * *

I have to erase these words too. I guess I am sad today, or tonight. Whatever time it is.

I'm also sick of writing. Everything I write is sad. I feel stupid writing about dying when I should concentrate on living. What would Dad tell me to do? That I am brave, maybe.

And what about Mom? What would she tell me to do now?

She wanted to kill us, Timmy and me. She didn't want the monsters to get us, I guess. I know it's a horrible thought, but I think she was very brave to make such a decision. She must have hated herself. But I still love her, and I miss her.

I tried to play with Casey today, but I didn't really feel like it, but she is still my best friend. My nightmares are not going away. I still wake up during the night completely soaked in sweat.

I can't help thinking that help is coming like Mom said, but the more I think about it, the more I think that the other adults lied to Mom, to all of us, to me.


	20. Part 2 - Entry 13

**Entry 13**

I think I heard something above the facility, like a ship's engine. Human stuff, not monsters. What if help came? What if an army was really here?

I hope this is true.

I hope.


	21. Part 2 - Entry 14

**Entry 14**

I heard them coming in.

I have to see. I am going to try to find them and see how many they are. If they are not very many, then there is no point in going with them because they will all be killed.

But I have to see. I have to get out.

* * *

 _Lost in a fragment of the universe, somewhere in the Hadley's Hope human colony on Acheron, this journal was never found._

 _It burned like the rest of the proofs of these horrors that were concealed from the rest of humanity._

 _May you rest in peace, Newt._

* * *

 _Thanks for reading!_


End file.
